Antipodes
by Muffinzelda
Summary: Will Robbie go to the ends of the Earth for Laura? A recap of series 9 with some, err, embellishments. Spoilers abound, so don't read this if you haven't seen these episodes. (IMHO it's worth the wait to let the actors' performance reduce you to a weepy mess, then come back and read the fic as part of the healing process.)
1. Teasing, part 1

Disclaimer: This story is for fan purposes only. The plot and characters belong to their respective owners (not me!) and are used here without permission. Enjoy!

Author note: Usually I write after viewing, reviewing, analysing, and dissecting an episode, but in this case, I felt compelled to write after only a few stolen glimpses. I might not have all the quotes down verbatim, but the meaning is there.

* * *

The morning that _One for Sorrow_ begins was a particularly amorous one for Laura and Robbie...

"It's time to get up, love." Robbie said as he nudged Laura, who was sprawled across his chest.

"Mmmmph," she moaned. "I wish we could stay just like this," she said, running her fingers though his chest hair.

"Come on. We need a shower, breakfast, and then it's off to work!" Robbie said, this time slapping her behind into action.

"Robbie," she said as she sat up and looked at him, "I think I'm ready to move into the next phase of our life together." She felt a chill as Robbie stared back at her, so she pulled the covers around her nude self.

"You want to get married?" He asked, his voice both incredulous and hopeful.

"Married? No, I want to retire and spend the rest of our lives together. The NHS is offering early retirement package, and I think I should look into it."

"But you're so young…" (Laura beamed at him) "…and you love pathology!"

"Pathology is overrated," she said, kissing him, running her hand down his chest, stomach, and continuing its descent from there. Robbie laughed as she gave him a little squeeze.

Turning serious again, Laura asked him, "you don't want to get married again, do you?"

Robbie said nothing, but gave her a bashful smile, a shrug, and a little squeeze of his own.

"If you're looking for something more permanent, Robbie, might I suggest a tattoo?" Laura suggested wickedly.

"You know, what, pet? I'm perfectly happy the way things are."

* * *

Later that day, an archaeological excavation of an ancient well had revealed a corpse, reuniting Inspector Lewis and Dr. Hobson.

Lewis had been peppering Hobson with questions that she didn't yet have the answers to. Enter Detective Sergeant Maddox with an approximate date range for the dumping of the corpse.

Lewis was proud of his sergeant (no matter what Hathaway said, he still liked to think that he was responsible for Maddox) and used that source of pride to tease Hobson, something no other Inspector could get away with on the job.

"See there? That's detective work. I always said that pathology was overrated." Lewis said, and Hobson could do nothing but give him a goofy grin.

Maddox knew that there was more to that grin than met the eye but decided it was best not to question it. The three continued on with their jobs.


	2. Teasing, part 2

Magnum Opus

A few months later, Dr. Hobson was sharing her post-mortem findings with her two favourite inspectors in the mortuary. Lewis pointed out that it seemed unlikely for someone of this corpse's academic stature to have a tattoo.

"I like a man with a tattoo," Hobson replied with a daring look towards Lewis.

Lewis said nothing but shook his head at her. _Not in front of Hathaway_ , he thought, knowing that Hathaway would use that as a source of mirth for days to come.

But Hobson hadn't meant it as an emasculating remark; rather she was trying to tell Lewis in her own way that she was adjusting to the idea of a more permanent relationship.

A few weeks prior, when Laura realised that the upcoming birth of her niece's baby in New Zealand would roughly correspond with the end of Robbie's consultant contract, the wheels started turning in her mind. She tried to sell Robbie on the idea of going to New Zealand to help with the new baby, then staying on a few months to travel.

Robbie was sceptical. "Babies aren't a fun vacation idea, Laura. Remember our trip to Italy? You dragging me to all over to see this, that, and the other thing? You can't plan to do all that while minding a bairn. Everyone's schedule revolves around it. It needs to feed. It needs to nap. And don't even get me started on nappies. You hate sitting around at home. Your brain would turn to porridge."

"But you'll be with me. And you're so good with Jack."

"It's easier because Jack is a bit older, see. No one gets any sleep with a wee bairn. We had a horrible time with our Lyn, colicky little git she was." Laura had always thought of past-Robbie as an idealized father- but she didn't know him terribly well back then.

"That's exactly why we should go to help Alice. Her parents can't manage more than a week or two away from London because of their jobs. We could stay longer."

"I don't know, Laura. Moody might decide to renew my contract."

"Please, Robbie, think about it." She lowered her voice. "I know that you've been down this road before, but this might be my last chance to hold a baby that shares some of my DNA."

 _Women and babies_ , he thought. "All right, Laura. We'll go to New Zealand. Maybe we'll even catch up with Ken in Australia- so hard to believe that my own wee bairn is a grown man."

"Yes, Robbie, that would be brilliant!"

Robbie had accepted Laura's plan but was still mulling over all that it entailed. Yes, they traveled well together; Italy had been a success but honestly, Robbie was just as happy feeding Laura grapes on a park bench in Oxford. Their life together was perfect. Sometimes, that perfection scared him. What would they do without corpses and criminals? Their home was lovely; it was the kind of house he wished he could have provided for his kids. Still, he and Val had done all right.

The last time he'd been to the other side of the world, Morse had dragged him to Australia on a case. Val left the kids with her parents and joined him there afterwards. They'd rented a van, drove around and slept under the stars. It was one of the happiest times in his life. Would he and Laura experience the same wanderlust? He winced as he thought of his bad back but realised that Laura would probably insist on hotels anyway. Everything with Laura was planned to perfection, you see. And perfection always made Robbie feel like his face didn't fit. They were two people from totally different backgrounds; she a very cerebral doctor, he a scrappy lad who made his way up from uniform based on instinct and interpersonal skills. Like England and New Zealand, Robbie and Laura seemed diametrically opposed.

* * *

In the weeks to come, Laura packed and planned as Robbie fretted and let his fears fester until the last moment. Two days before their scheduled departure, he broke her heart.


	3. Reality

What Lies Tangled

Laura was alone in the mortuary. Her mortuary. She's constructed so much of her identity on her career that it was hard to walk away. But Robbie had shown her that there were more important things in life, like being with family. _Oh Robbie._ She wanted so desperately to go away with him and start a new life together, but here she was embarking on that new adventure alone. No job to tie her down, and no Robbie to share that freedom with. A part of her should hate him for leaving her hanging with complete disregard for their plans. But she knew he was just scared- not cold-feet about their relationship but scared of life post-CID. Yet she knew how attached he was to her and couldn't believe that he was going to let her leave. She hoped that he would come home at a decent hour so that he could help her finish packing and they could make love one last time before the taxi took her away in the morning. She may not do airport goodbyes, but she still wanted to leave Robbie with fond memories.

Robbie was watching Laura through the door frame, gathering his thoughts before he entered. He would miss this, finding excuses to pop in to see her at the mortuary. Being a detective was all he knew; in a fit of self-preservation, he'd declared to her that he'd work until they carry him out. _Like Morse_ , she'd whispered through her tears.

 _There are worse ways to go,_ he'd replied. He was thinking of James' dad, lost to dementia and now confined to bed after a series of small strokes. He couldn't bear the thought of lingering in a world where he didn't recognize Lyn or Ken. He wanted to be active, mentally sharp until the end. And if that meant that he'd be blown to bits by the next lunatic to come along, so be it. Yes, Robbie was fatalistic; it was a by-product of losing Val all those years ago. One of the reasons that he loved Laura was that she had spent even more time contemplating death than he had. She didn't find him morbid; it was a natural process to her.

While Laura was right to draw the comparison, Lewis was not Morse. The late detective had died on the job, but not in the line of duty; he'd drank himself to an early grave. Robbie had his kids to think of, and Laura. The lonely years between Val and Laura had already taken their toll on him. He hated to be without Laura so much that he'd even catch up on his reading in the mortuary when she had to work late. He couldn't believe how treated her, like a roommate bailing out on his travel-buddy. _Sodding old fool, me._ He loved Laura and he needed to woo her back.

Robbie entered Laura's workspace for the last time. She fought back the tears as he approached her with a shopping bag. "Lyn gave me some suggestions for the baby."

Laura smiled haltingly, as he handed her a dodo onesie. It seemed that he and the dodo had something in common; after all that he would go to New Zealand if she'd still have him. She threw her arms around him.

When they broke apart, he reached into the bag and produced the second item. "A sleep sheep. It makes womb noises; quite useless really, but Lyn said that no nursery is complete without one. But her next recommendation I agree with whole-heartedly."

"And what would that be, Robbie?"

"Rings." He said simply.

"Oh, Robbie! Are you sure?" He nodded. She started to cry again, this time out of joy. He handed her another package from the bag. And Laura promptly hit him for the third time in two days.

"Lots o' Links!" She proceeded to read the package. "Your baby or toddler will love these colorful multipurpose rings." She hit him again. "That's for winding me up. Here I was about to admit that my views on marriage were evolving."

He rubbed his sore arm. "Glad to hear it, love. Because I wasn't winding you up. I was testing the waters." He pulled a ring out of his pocket. Laura's eyes widened and she stared at him, speechless. "I'm sorry it's not a tattoo, love."

"I think I rather like this better than a tattoo," she said, still transfixed the simple diamond ring.

He took her left hand in his. "Laura Hobson, I would go to the other side of the Earth for you. Will you do me the honour…" he paused, rethinking how to formulate his question, "…of allowing me to become a proper great-uncle to your niece's baby?"

Laura sniffed with emotion. "I dare say that our grand-niece or nephew won't need a sleep sheep to provide ambient noise with the way that great-uncle Robbie snores!"

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, Robbie, I will marry you!"

* * *

Who would have thought that Laura would be retiring before Robbie? Once upon a time, career-driven Laura hadn't been troubled that their best times together had been spent over a mangled corpse. It was Robbie who had wanted to retire and offer Laura a normal life. Now, after two years of rubbing off on each other, Laura was the one nesting and Robbie was clinging to his job. Even when things got tough and they were at polar opposites, somehow those opposites attracted. In the end, Robbie and Laura will always center each other, for better or worse, as long as they both shall live.


End file.
